Proposed GSA construction budget shrinks in 2015

Jul. 14, 2014 - 06:00AM
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A renovated building at DHS headquarters on the St. Elizabeths Hospital campus that will house the Coast Guard historical office. A 2015 budget bill would contain no funding to contnue the St. Elizabeth's project. (Thomas Brown/Staff)

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The General Services Administration would receive hundreds of millions of dollars to build new buildings in fiscal 2015, but less than it received last year, under legislation passed by the House July 10.

The agency would be able to spend $420 million on new construction projects — compared to $506 million last year. GSA would also get $965 million for repairs and renovations, slightly less than the $1 billion received in 2014.

GSA received funding to build or complete the Calexico and San Ysidro land ports of entry in California, and the Alexandria Bay land port of entry in New York, according to the legislation.

The agency would also receive $100 million to help consolidate agency offices and reduce the federal real estate footprint, according to the bill. GSA received $70 million for such activities for 2014.

But the legislation contains no funding in 2015 for the continued construction of the new Department of Homeland Security’s consolidated headquarters on the campus of the former St. Elizabeth’s hospital in southeast Washington, D.C. The president’s budget request would increase funding for the project.

After years of budget cuts and delays on the multi-billion dollar project, Congress authorized $155 million in 2014 for GSA to finish the next phase of the consolidation – which would bring more than 14,000 employees to the campus.

The first phase of the consolidation – the new Coast Guard headquarters – was completed and occupied by the Coast Guard last year.